Dear Friends and Bird Allies,
For 44 years, International Bird Rescue has been responding to oiled wildlife emergencies all over the world, and yet 2015 has been a year to remember!
On January 16th, we received reports of a large number of water birds on San Francisco Bay contaminated with an unknown sticky substance – including Baxter the Bufflehead duck, shown in these photos before and after his cleaning. Like many of the birds, Baxter was covered in slime, dirt, and rocks, destroying his waterproofing and his ability to maintain his body temperature. All the affected birds required intensive care and we had to develop a whole new cleaning process for this substance.
This “Mystery Goo” was not a petroleum product, which meant there was no protocol for who would take responsibility for the birds and how they would be cared for. Putting our own resources on the line, we at International Bird Rescue stepped into that void and accepted more than 300 birds. We then asked you – our dedicated supporters–for help, and you responded with much-appreciated donations!
Thank you again for your generosity,
JD Bergeron
Executive Director
International Bird Rescue